The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1887-06-16
MARRIED woMEN's PROPERTY.

one that is revolutionary
in sweeping away all the old CONS
mon law barriers TO married women
owning, using aud enjoying their
own separate property. Ii fret de-
claros that marriage shall impose no
disability "as 10 the acquisition, ow-
nership, possession, control, uUo or
disposition Of property OF any kind,
real or personal, "or pf' her right and
power to make contracts Of any kind, |
ia any trade or business in which
che may engage, or for necosaories,
and for the use, enjoyment au1 i'm
ptovement Of ber separate estate,
an1 TO give obligations binding her.
self therefor" In short, all married
women may now Mcguire, possess,
improve, control, use aud dispose OF
their property, real aud personal, in
possession or in expectancy, without
the Intervention OF u trustee, pre-
ciseiy as If she were o femme sole,
and sho assumes all the liabilities III
separate actions ut law or equity,
incident TO such absolute rights over
her own estate. The wife, like the
husband, has no power to mortgage
or convey real estate unless both
join in the instrument.
Hereafter married woaon may sue
aud be sued in matters relating to
their own property or contracts
without the slur Of incompotency
implied by the use OF John Jones IA
her next friand;' and tho roundabout
way of trustee to hold property
.or her, is effaced by the shortcut Of
all tho rights of II siutor being con-
ferred upon her. John Smith can
now contract with Mrs. 1abitba
Brown just as he would contract
with man OF a single w2man, and
either can sue the other and levy
upon tho property of tho othor in
satisfaction Of legal judgment, with"
ont bothering tAe husband or maxi
ing him q party to tho proceedings.
J ANY debt or damages recovered by
lhor at law, Will now be her separate
property, and asy debt, damages or
costs recovered against her"shall bo
payable out Of ber separate estate,
aud not otherwise but the line is
drawn against her right, "to become
accommodate ondorser, guarautor
or surety for another She may
now execute and deliver leases OF
her property, real or personal; and
assignments and sales Of her sepa-
rate personal property, notes; bills
drafts, bonds aud obligations OF any
kind without her husband being n
pose IT her property, real aud per-
sonal, by will, "in tho same mlnnor
as if she were unmarried, and will
oxocnted before marriage, will not
now be deemed to be revoked by
subsequent marriage.
The new law is so sweeping in ita
provisions that about the only ros-
: tlaint upon q married woman's dis
posal Of property, real or personal
: by contract or will, seems 10 bo il
= the right 10 mortgage or convey real
, estate without her husband joining.
q 10 section Of the new satuio is
, there any restraint against u married
l. woman disposing ofnll of her proper
o ty, real or personal, to others than
. her husband, BY her last vii. and
t testament, although tho widow s
@ rights under the iutor-State laws
, remain, regardless OF tho last viii
aud testament Of the husband. The
L same limitation applies to her that
is applies to the husband, in convey
ing or mortGaging real estate during
life; but the last section OF tho act
seems TO give to the married. woman
The absolute right to will to Others
than her husband or children, heI
whole estate, real and personal. The
text OF the section is as follow:
Sec. ga married womaumay dispose
: OF her property, real aud personal, b!
! last will and testament, in writing
signed by her or manifested by he
= mark or cross made by her at the enC
thereof, in tho same manner as If sh'
wero unmarried, aud hereafter n vii
executed by u woman before marriag,
shall not be deemed to be revoked b,
Q her subsequent marriage.
D Pennsy lvania has had long, bit
Y ter and varying battle over the right
10 Of married women. Until the enact
D ment Of what was known as th'
|, Married Woman's Rights act of lS4S
e the old Eoglish common law appliec
= to women under converture in thi
State with scarcely percrptible modi